The Mountain by Balthus

The mountain’s appearance displays Balthus’ imagination with enigmatically narrative compositions. This majestic panorama is also his largest canvas and one of the few that depicts figures in a landscape. The painting depicts the summit of a mountain where a group of people seek refuge or are embarked on a journey. The composition includes seven figures; three males and three females. The painting draws attention to three people in the foreground. One male, beside his knapsack, is on one knee resting and leaning on his cane. One femal

An important part of analyzing and critiquing works of art is finding symbols. Seven figures are located on an imaginary plateau near the top of the Niederhorn in the Bernese Oberland, a landscape familiar to Balthus since early childhood. Either intentionally or unintentionally, the figures seem unaware of one another. Their gaze is trancelike and one young woman is actually asleep on the ground. While the connection between the figures is ambiguous, there is a direct correspondence between the shape and posture of each person and the surrounding mountain formations.

e is standing with her hands locked above her head while stretching. Her cane is sticking up from the ground. The other female lies asleep on the ground with her hands folded over her cane.

In addition to the landscape and the sky, the colors used on the people’s articles of clothing are equally as important. These garments give the impression of contemporary dress of the postwar era. From the kneeling man’s brown vest, dark colored pants, and green knapsack, to the sleeping woman’s red sweater, orange blouse, dark colored skirt, and white stockings. The stretching woman wears a grey sweater which covers her light blue shirt and royal blue shirt. Balthus uses these colors to show town people out of place in a deep mountain setting.

One last point to be considered with this piece is determining whether it belongs to a particular stylistic movement. As a young man Balthus made the obligatory

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